Supporting Cast Members
Priscilla Morrill (Edith MacKenzie Grant-Gordon)
From the onset, Lou's marriage to Edie was on the rocks, and it eventually lead to divorce. From time to time we hear Lou talking about Edie and his relationship with her, but her four appearances are limited to glimpses of the two of them in turmoil, somehow or other. "The Lou and Edie Story "(Season 4) reveals why: they married very young, and Edie evidently never got a chance to be her own person. It was then or never; Edie left Lou and never looked back. It's very likely that Lou never figured out quite why Edie left him, as is marked by a poignant few seconds during Edie's remarriage in the episode "Edie Gets Married" at the beginning of Season 6. After the vows are exchanged, they bid each other adieu for good.
Priscilla Morrill was born in 1927 in Boston. Her credits include four appearances on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, three appearances on All in the Family, and two on St. Elsewhere. She also appeared in guest spots on "The Golden Girls", "Welcome Back, Kotter", "Mork and Mindy", "The Wild, Wild West", "Hill Street Blues", "Kolchak the Night Stalker" and "MacGyver". She appeared on "Newhart" as the mother of Stephanie VanderKellen, the toffy-nosed maid at the Stratford Inn. She made several appearances in the early 90's on Coach as affluently wealthy Minnesota State benefactress named Mrs. Rizzendough. She has eight TV movies to her credit, including The Patricia Neal Story (1981), and Amelia Earhart (1976). Ms. Morrill died in 1994 following kidney cancer.
John Amos (Gordy Howard)
John Amos was born on 27 December, 1939 in Newark, New Jersey. He started his career on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" as Gordy Howard, the WJM weatherman. He made appearances on the Show occasionally from 1971-73, after which he joined the cast of "Maude" for the 1973-74 season, playing Henry Evans. In 1974, he joined the cast of "Good Times", playing James Evans until 1976. He returned to MTMS in the final season to appear in "Hail the Conquering Gordy"; many viewers were disappointed that he left MTMS to work on these two lesser shows.
Amos appeared on "Roots" in the 1977-78 season, and has worked steadily ever since. He's made cameos on numerous TV series, including "Murder, She Wrote", "The Cosby Show", "The A-Team", and "Stingray". In 1994, he appeared on the short-lived series "704 Hauser", playing Ernie Cumberbatch, the head of a black family who occupied the Archie Bunkers' old house. His film credits include Coming to America, Die Hard II, For Better or Worse, and The Players Club (1998). Mr. Amos also had a role in Natural Born Killaz, a music video starring Dr. Dre and Ice Cube.
In the 1997-98 season, John Amos toured the country as the star of a stage production called Halley's Comet. He wrote the two-hour, one-man play himself, and won critical acclaim for his efforts. Today he continues his on-screen and on-stage activities. He has two grown children.
Lisa Gerritsen (Bess Lindstrom)
Born 21 December, 1957, Lisa Gerritsen remains a prime example of the child star whose career abruptly ended upon reaching legal age. She started her career at around age ten with two episodes of Gunsmoke in 1968, and made cameos on The Odd Couple, Family Affair, and Bonanza. Her first of two major TV roles was the part of Lydia Monroe on My World and Welcome To It (starring William Windom and Joan Hotchkis; photo at left) in the 1969-70 season. She appeared in the feature films "Airport" (1970), "The War Between Men and Women" (1972), and "Mixed Company" (1974).
Young Lisa's screen test for Bess identified her remarkable ability to interact well with her TV mother-to-be, Cloris Leachman, and she was signed for the part. A remarkably bright young lady whose mother treated her more like a colleague than a daughter (she always called Phyllis by her first name, read Phyllis' books on child rearing, and so forth), Bess Lindstrom was a key figure in shaping the early days of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show". We saw her grow up quickly in occasional appearances (ten total) until she left with Cloris in 1975 to do "Phyllis". Lisa Gerritsen's last acting credit was the final episode of that series in 1977, wherein Bess discovers she is pregnant. Her departure from the acting world was disheartening, given the individuality and intelligence she infused into the character of Bess.
The one piece of recent info out there on Ms. Gerritsen is a shady one; she apparently worked for a software company in California in the early nineties, and evidently did not like to discuss her showbiz experiences with her co-workers. According to reliable sources, she is now a freelance consultant dealing with computer systems operations and networking. Jim Beatty has developed Lisa Gerritsen.com which details most of her major TV and film appearances.
Joyce Bulifant (Marie Slaughter)
Joyce Bulifant began her career as a character actor in the early 1960's on Perry Mason, Gunsmoke, The Virginian, and Wagon Train. In 1968, she screen tested for the part of Carol Brady on The Brady Bunch, but was beat out by none other than Florence Henderson. From 1969-71, she played Mrs. Peterson on The Bill Cosby Show. From 1971-77 she made occasional guestings on MTMS as ever-perky Marie Slaughter, Murray's better half, who kept the Slaughter household under control. During part of this span of years she also appeared on the series "Love Thy Neighbor", of which she was co-star. She was a semi-regular on Match Game in the 70's.
Ms. Bulifant was born on 16 December, 1937 in Newport News, Virginia. In 1997 she appeared in the TV mini-series of Stephen King's The Shining. In 1999 she appeared in the feature film "Diamonds". She plays a doctor in "Thank Heaven" (2001), which was directed by her son John Asher (from marriage to ultra-long time director William Asher). At present, she devotes time to both child welfare and dyslexia-related organizations.
Michael Tolan (Dan Whitfield)
Dan Whitfield, played by Michael Tolan, was perhaps the most likely candidate for Mary Richards' future hubby. They were a seemingly well-matched pair, but somehow or other they never got off the ground. He was Mary's teacher in a journalism class, and he gave her a 'C+' on a paper she wrote. They met up about a year later in an elevator, and he invited her to his engagement party...an engagement that would be broken because of Mary. Dan showed up toward the end of the trilogy in a desperate attempt to win Mary's heart. Again, a few short-lived sparks, and that was the end of him.
Michael Tolan was born in Detroit on 27 November, 1925. His first acting credit is listed as The Enforcer (1951), and in 1953 he appeared in the highly acclaimed early version of Julius Caesar. In the 1960's, he appeared on The US Steel Hour, FBI, Naked City, and Mission Impossible. He also played Lazarus in The Greatest Story Ever Told. He had a small part in Presumed Innocent (1990), and has since retired from the biz.
Nancy Walker (Ida Morgenstern)
Nancy Walker was born Ann Myrtle Swoyer in Philadelphia on 10 May, 1921. Her first acting was in the 1940's films Girl Crazy, Best Foot Forward, and Broadway Rhythm. It wasn't until 1970 that she started her career in television. She had a semi-regular role on A Family Affair during the 1970-71 season, and during the same season made her debut on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, playing Ida Morgenstern, Rhoda's "Ma". From 1971-76, she also played Mildred on McMillan and Wife, for which she won three Emmy nominations.
Standing at a height of 4'11", Nancy Walker's Ida Morgenstern quickly won her way into the hearts of millions. A no-nonsense, doting, brisket-cooking New York Jewish mother, she was one of TV's best loved elders. She made three appearances on MTMS, then joined Valerie Harper on Rhoda. Here we got to see Ida in her element, a compulsive housekeeper of an apartment in The Bronx, who frequently popped in unexpectedly on Rhoda and Joe, and Brenda. Some of the best scenes of Rhoda involved Ida's meddling in Rhoda's life, which often ended up in heated mother-daughter caterwauling. She was nominated for Emmy Awards for her work on Rhoda in 1975, 1976, 1977, and 1978.
Nancy Walker competently directed the MTMS fourth season episodes "Just Friends" and "Two Wrongs Don't Make a Writer", the latter being one of the strongest episodes in the series. Ms. Walker also directed a poor feature film called "Can't Stop the Music" in 1980.
In 1976, she tried her hand at her own sitcom, The Nancy Walker Show, starring as Nancy Kitteridge. It lasted only one season, and in 1977 she tried again, unfortunately failing, with Blansky's Beauties. She returned to Rhoda until its cancellation in 1978, and directed some of the series' later episodes. Her work in the 1980s included guestings on The Golden Girls, Newhart, Columbo, and she played 'that lady' on commercials advertising the utility of Bounty™ paper towels. Two appearances on The Golden Girls represent some of her last work. She died of cancer in Studio City, California in 1992 after a forty-two year marriage to David Craig.
Eileen Heckart ([Aunt] Flo Meredith)
Eileen Heckart came onboard in the beginning of the sixth season to play Mary's Aunt Flo, a globe-trotting journalist. A well-known character actress (sometimes confused with the equally talented Eileen Brennan), Ms. Heckart has appeared in numerous TV series and movies, as well as feature films. She was nominated for two Emmys for individual performances on two of the three episodes she appeared in. Born in Columbus on 29 March, 1919, her background was largely in the theater and she graduated with a BA in Drama from Ohio State University.
Flo Meredith was nearly the opposite of her niece, Mary Richards. In a sense, Flo is similar to Sue Ann Nivens, although far more professional, far more intelligent, and considerably less maneating. Flo and Lou Grant lock horns after cordial introductions in the episode "Mary's Aunt". She challenges his journalistic supremacy in her second appearance, and in her third, Lou proposes marriage. Flo passes up the opportunity, which somehow seems disappointing. Like Mary, she was destined to remain fiercely individual, a professional female in her own right. Eileen Heckart also played Rhoda and Brenda's Aunt Lillian on the early seasons of Rhoda.
Eileen Heckart's many TV guestings have included appearances on The Philco Television Playhouse, The Fugitive, Naked City, Goodyear TV Playhouse, Gunsmoke, and Little House on the Prairie. Around 1979, she briefly returned as Flo in Lou Grant. More recent appearances have included Cybill, Ellen, Home Improvement, Love and War, (for which she won an Emmy in 1994) and Murder One. In 1998, Eileen and Mary reunited in "Annie McGuire" when she played Mary's mother. Her feature film work began in 1956 with Somebody Up There Likes Me. She claimed an Oscar in 1973 for Best Supporting Actress in Butterflies are Free, a role that she'd created earlier on Broadway. In 1980, she played Eleanor Roosevelt in the TV movie F.D.R., The Last Year. In 1996, she played a role in the Diane Keaton/Goldie Hawn/Bette Midler flick The First Wives Club.
In 2000, she claimed a Tony award for her monumental theater work. Ms. Heckart passed away on December 31, 2001 and is survived by her three sons.
Nanette Fabray (Dottie Richards)
The legendary comedienne Nanette Fabray played Mary Richards' mother Dottie in several episodes. This was perfect casting, if only for the reason that Mary Tyler Moore's own acting style was much like Fabray's. Mary admits that she had her in mind when developing her famous "Oh, Rob!" skyward sobbing on "The Dick Van Dyke Show", in fact!
Ms. Fabray was born Ruby Bernadette Nanette Fabares in San Diego on 27 October, 1920. Her first acting was done as Nanette Fabares in the late '30's and early 40's. In 1949, she won a Tony for "Love Life". In 1954, she joined the cast of "Caesar's Hour" playing Ann Victor, and she won Emmys in 1956 and 1957 for her amazing performances. In 1961 she got her own show on the Westinghouse Playhouse, "The Nanette Fabray Show", with co-star Wendell Corey. Through the 1960's and '70's, she appeared in TV movies, "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", "The Carol Burnett Show" (approximately fifteen appearances), "Maude", "One Day at a Time", and several feature films. She also held a semi-regular spot on "Hollywood Squares" in the 60's and 70's. In the early '90's, she appeared on "Coach" playing mother to Christine Armstrong (Shelley Fabares), which was appropriate since Ms. Fabray is Shelley's biological aunt!
Nanette Fabray won the Women's International Center Living Legacy Award in 1993. Her most recent work was in 1994 on the feature film "Teresa's Tattoo".
Bill Quinn (Dr. Walter Richards)
One of the most familiar faces in all of television history was that of character actor Bill Quinn (1912-1994), whose career spanned more than thirty years. His acting career in television started rather late in life, when in the late 50's he started appearing in the usual TV series smorgasboard of such shows as "Perry Mason", "Wanted: Dead or Alive", "McHale's Navy", "The Fugitive", "Bonanza", "My Three Sons", "Please Don't Eat the Daisies", and others. He logged two appearances on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" as Dr. Walter Richards, Mary's father. He also made a couple guestings on his son-in-law Bob Newhart's "The Bob Newhart Show" in the 70's while also working on "Emergency!", "Little House on the Prairie", "Archie Bunker's Place", "The Rockford Files", and elsewhere. His last performance came in the 1989 feature "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier".
Harold Gould (Martin Morgenstern)
Rhoda's "Pop" was played by the long-working character actor Harold Gould. Born Harold V. Goldstein in Schenectady, New York on 10 December 1923, Mr. Gould earned a Ph.D. in theater at Cornell University, where he also taught speech and drama. In the early '60's, he turned to acting full time. One of his earliest credits was in Rod Serling's 1963 "The Yellow Canary", alongside Jack Klugman and Barbara Eden, and in 1964 a small role in an episode of Serling's immortal "Twilight Zone" series. From then on, his work has mainly stood in TV movies and guest spots on well-known TV series, usually playing a doctor or older relative. From 1974-78, semi-regular work on "Rhoda" kept him busy, and he was nominated for an Emmy in 1978 for his performance in the episode "Happy Anniversary". He also won four nominations for outstanding single performances on "The Ray Bradbury Theater" (1990), "Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry" (miniseries, 1986), "The Scarlett O'Hara War" (1980), and "Police Story" (1973). Occasionally he'll surface in a feature film, as he did in "Stuart Little" (1999) and "Patch Adams" (1998). Now semi-retired, he lives in Santa Monica.
Robbie Rist (David Baxter)
Nearly everyone knows Robbie Rist for his four memorable performances as Cousin Oliver in the final season of "The Brady Bunch". A year or two later, the MTMS producers remembered him and brought him aboard for several episodes as Ted and Georgette's genius adopted son, David. Some critics and viewers found Ted Baxter's transition from "just plain dumb" to being a "just plain dumb family man" to be awkward... but with the character of David Baxter brought in some definite possibilities; and it's all too painfully obvious that idiot Ted could never hope to survive a battle of wits with this kid.
Born on 4 April, 1964, Rist has logged many TV credits, including a whole fleet of voice-only roles in kid movies and TV series ("Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", "Kidd Video", etc.) and he appeared in a number of TV movies in the late '70's and early 80's. Around the same time as his MTMS appearances, he also made appearances on "CHiPs" and "The Bionic Woman" as the precocious kiddie. In 1981, he received a Young Artist Award nomination for his part in "The Big Hex of Little Lulu". In recent years, he's been performing in rock bands in the LA area, some of which have released albums. He continues to act, his most recent role was in the feature film "Unseen" in 1999. In September 2001, he reunited with his "Brady Bunch" cronies on the popular game show "The Weakest Link".
Phillip R. Allen (Gus Brubaker)
Phillip R. Allen appeared as Gus Brubaker, one of the WJM Six O'Clock News in two episodes. He also played Dr. Bob Hartley's colleague Dr. Frank Walburn on "The Bob Newhart Show". Mr. Allen also appeared on "Kojak", "Alice", and later on "Lou Grant". The eighties saw him in "Mork and Mindy", "21 Jumpstreet", "The Fall Guy", "Bosom Buddies", and he even had parts in the classic TV movie "A Very Brady Christmas" (1988), and "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock".
David Ogden Stiers (Mel Price)
The tall, lanky David Ogden Stiers (b. 10/31/42, Peoria), best known as Major Charles Emerson Winchester III on "M*A*S*H", began his acting career in the early '70's. Since then he's worked regularly in television and in movies. His lengthy list of credits includes appearances on "Matlock", the "Perry Mason" TV movies, "Murder, She Wrote", "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman", three episodes of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" as cranky WJM exec Mel Price, two guestings on "Rhoda", "Kojak", and more recently, the feature films "Krippendorff's Tribe" (1998) and "The Assistant" (2001). He was also the narrator for "The Making of Fantasia" (2000). Other voice credits include "Pocohontas" and "Beauty and the Beast". But by and large, Stiers is known for his herculean efforts as both actor and director on the much-loved sitcom about the trying times of the Korean War.
Irene Tedrow (Congresswoman Margaret Gettys)
Irene Tedrow (1907-1995) was an extremely talented lady who can be found in numerous TV series from the sixties and seventies. She launched her acting career with some small roles in movies from the forties, then turned mainly to television in the late fifties. She turned in two very sensitive performances on "The Twilight Zone" in the episodes "Walking Distance" (starring Gig Young) and "The Lateness of the Hour" (which starred John Hoyt and Inger Stevens). She also appeared on two episodes of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents". Later, she guested on "Three's Company", "Magnum P.I.", "Quincy", and "The Hardy Boys", to name only a few. Her MTMS appearances as Margaret Gettys, a congresswoman whom Mary befriends, came on the two dynamite episodes "The Dinner Party" and "Mary's Big Party" (with Johnny Carson).
Barbara Colby (Sherry Ferris)
Undoubtedly one of the greatest talents to appear on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" was the late Barbara Colby (1940-1975). She appeared in the "Mary Goes to Jail" episode as inmate Sherry, who shows up at Mary's door several months later. Barbara impressed everyone on the show with her realistic and heartfelt characterization of the unscrupulous prostitute who eventually got herself together, thanks to Mary Richards' prodding. In 1975, she was cast as Julie Erskine, the photography studio owner on "Phyllis", and she appeared in the first three episodes. The news of her death by homicide in Venice, California on 24 July, 1975 was a tremendous shock, and Cloris Leachman has said that Barbara's death was one of the most difficult for her to realize.
In addition to her MTMS role, Ms. Colby also appeared in some TV movies and the films "California Split" and "Memory of Us" from the '70's. She also appeared on episodes of "Gunsmoke" and "The Odd Couple". Her two MTMS performances have made a lot of fans, diehard and casual, laugh long and loud.
Richard Schaal (Howard Arnell/Chuckles the Clown/Dino)
A familiar face in television in the 70's, New York-trained character actor Richard Schaal appeared on "I Dream of Jeannie", "The Dick Van Dyke Show", "The Bob Newhart Show", "Banacek", "The Rockford Files", "The Partridge Family", and was a staff writer on "Love, American Style". He also appeared on the feature films "The Russians are Coming, The Russians Are Coming" with Carl Reiner and Eva Marie Saint, and "The Virgin President", "Slaughterhouse Five", and "Steelyard Blues" in the 60's. He made four guestings on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", two as a geeky photographer/old fling of Mary's named Howard Arnell, one as Chuckles the Clown, and one as Dino, a barfly. In the 1975-76 season, he played photographer Leo Heatherton on "Phyllis" with Cloris Leachman. From 1979-1984, he held a regular role as a doctor on "Trapper John, M.D." Richard Schaal was married to Valerie Harper from 1964 to 1978.
Sheree North (Charlene McGuire)
Sheree North's acting career began in 1945, thirty years before she did her two appearances on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"...hard to believe, eh? Upon Lou Grant's separation and divorce, the producers decided to go all out and hook Lou up with a woman who would perhaps unleash a lot of desires he'd buried for years in his rather dull marriage to Edie. Ms. North was exactly what they were looking for. Lou was a party animal...at least at heart, and lounge singer Charlene had dated Sinatra!!
The IMDB offers a brief summary of Sheree North's career.
John Gabriel (Andy Rivers)
Andy Rivers was hired by Mary as the new sportscaster for WJM-TV during the fourth season, and from then on he's seen occasionally as Mary's date to the Teddy Awards and other social functions.
John Gabriel (birth name Jack Monkarsh) was born 25 May, 1931 in Niagara Falls. Surprisingly, his first acting credit dates all the way back to 1952. He was actually the first choice for the Professor on "Gilligan's Island" and appears in the lost pilot of the well-known series. He held small parts on various TV series, some of which Mary Tyler Moore appeared on ("Hawaiian Eye", "Surfside 6", "The Big Valley", "The Untouchables", "Bachelor Father", etc.) and in the feature films "South Pacific" (screen adaptation), "The Master Plan", "Stagecoach", "El Dorado", "Hell's Bloody Devils". His recent appearances have been on "Seinfeld", "Law and Order", and "As the World Turns". Mr. Gabriel also logged a cameo as a reporter on the unforgettable feature film "Network" (1976). He has two daughters.
Jerry Van Dyke (Wes Callison)
Jerry Van Dyke, younger brother of Dick Van Dyke and a fine character actor in his own right, portrayed WJM writer and Mary Richards' love interest Wes Callison. Born in 1931 in Danville, Illinois, he's had a long and successful television career, which began in 1962 on "The Dick Van Dyke Show". He played Rob Petrie's brother, Stacy Petrie, in two hilarious episodes, one of which was about a bad case of sleepwalking. For eight years (1989-1997) he played clumsy head coach Luther Van Dam on "Coach", for which he's best known. A few pieces of trivia: the part of George Utley on "Newhart" was originally created for him...who knows whether or not he turned it down or whether Tom Poston was better for the part, but he could have done it just as well. He was offered the part of Gilligan on "Gilligan's Island" but turned it down saying, 'this is the most godawful trash I've ever read'. Instead, he opted to sign on with "My Mother the Car"!! He logged an appearance on his elder brother's "Diagnosis Murder" in 1999 playing Stacy Sloan in a superb episode (also about sleepwalking, but this time he was accused of murder during a hospital stay).
J. Benjamin Chulay (Pete, the Blonde Newsroom Guy)
Pete was the silent, blonde-haired occupant of a desk in the WJM-TV newsroom for the seven-year duration of the show. He was probably in more individual frames of film per show than any other cast member, in fact. He was given a couple lines in a couple episodes, but his acting task was to sit at the desk, look busy, and simultaneously he got to witness a lot of good comedy in the making. Mr. Chulay was film editor on "Melrose Place" and "High Mountain Rangers", and today he holds the same chores on the TV series "Titans". Although it's never been confirmed, J. B. Chulay was most likely the son of John Chulay, assistant director on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and MTMS.
Steve Franken (Jonas Lasser)
Steve Franken played Rhoda's date Jonas Lasser in two episodes in the third season. He and Rhoda met at the engagement party for Dan Whitfield and his bitchy fiancee Judy...which as some will remember, was a very short-lived engagement! An actor with an impressive list of credits, Mr. Franken can be found on many TV series and TV movies, but most people remember him for his earliest role as Chatsworth Osborne, Jr. on "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis". His short stature and likeable demeanor have made him a favorite of casting directors. He's worked steadily since the early sixties on up through the present. Some of his credits include appearances on "Bewitched", "The Mod Squad", "Mission, Impossible", "Adam 12", "Perry Mason", and "Night Gallery". Since the 1980's, he's been cast in feature films, most recently in "Nurse Betty" and "Captured".
Ted Bessell (Joe Warner)
Ted Bessell (birth name Terrence Bessell) is best known for his characterization of Anne Marie's boyfriend Don on "That Girl". Born in Queens on 20 March, 1935, he also worked on the soap opera "It's a Man's World", and the series' "McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force" and "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." in the 60's. In addition to his role as Don Hollinger, he also directed some episodes of "That Girl", and in 1972 he appeared on/directed "Me and the Chimp". He appeared on some TV movies in the '70's, after which he turned mainly to directing. In 1987, he joined James L. Brooks on the staff of "The Tracey Ullman Show". In 1993, he began a directorial stint on the TV series "A League of Their Own" (based on the popular feature film of the same title; Tom Hanks also directed some episodes of the TV series) and in 1995 "The Naked Truth". At the time of his untimely death in 1996, he was preparing to write/direct a feature film based on "Bewitched", the ever-popular TV series. He is survived by two daughters.
Bessell was given one of the greatest lines to be heard in the entire series, during the scene where Mary Richards dumps Joe: "I'll be doing the male version of 'hurt'...trying to pretend like it really doesn't."
Larry Wilde (Teddy Award Emcee)
Larry Wilde was the Emcee/presenter in four of the five episodes where Teddy Awards Ceremonies were featured: "Murray Can't Lose", "Sue Ann Falls in Love", "You Can't Lose Them All", and "Lou's First Date" (another guy played emcee in "Put on a Happy Face", the most famous of the Teddy ceremonies.) Was Mr. Wilde a stagehand? A dolly grip? A sound effects man? Who knows. He appeared on an episode of "Sanford and Son" in addition to his four sterling MTMS appearances.
Beverly Sanders (Rayette, The Waitress)
Beverly Sanders played Rayette, waitress at a local diner in Minneapolis, in three episodes in the second and third seasons. She also played Rhoda's matronly friend Susan Alborn on "Rhoda". An actively working character actress in the 70's and 80's, she appeared on "Barney Miller", "Emergency", "CHiPs", "Trapper John, M.D.", "It's a Living", "Moonlighting", and "The Love Boat". She also had a small part in the feature film "Just Between Friends" with Mary Tyler Moore. More recently, she appeared in "The Flintstones Viva Rock Las Vegas". She is a good friend of Mary Tyler Moore's, and was bridesmaid at Mary's 1984 wedding.
Penny Marshall (Toni/Paula Kovacs)
Who'd have thought that a stickball-playing, buck-toothed little girl named Penny Marshall from The Bronx would have turned into Laverne DeFazio and the first female to direct a film that grossed over 100 million dollars?
Carole Penny Marsciarelli was born October 15th, 1942 in The Bronx to Tony Marsciarelli (changed to Marshall shortly after he became an American citizen) and Marjorie Ward, a dancer. From an early age, she was extremely rebellious. She attended the University of New Mexico for a few years in the early 60's, and during that time got pregnant with daughter Tracy (actress Tracy Reiner) and married the father, Michael Henry. After dropping out of college, she worked as a secretary for a few years.
Penny's career was launched in 1968 when her elder brother, the prolific Garry Marshall, cast her in the role of a tour girl in the James Garner-Debbie Reynolds film "How Sweet It Is". In 1970, Garry Marshall cast her as Oscar Madison's secretary Myrna on "The Odd Couple". She continued to work regularly in TV, and added three episodes of MTMS to her list of credits (one as Toni, a singles bar frequenter, and two as Paula, Mary's neighbor in the new apartment). In 1971, she married Rob Reiner (a marriage that ended in an ugly divorce around 1980). In 1976, she and Cindy Williams appeared as two 'fun girls' on "Happy Days", and blew audiences away with their hilarious porptrayals of Laverne DeFazio and Shirley Feeney, two blue collar women who worked in a brewery. Shortly thereafter, Garry Marshall filmed the pilot episode of "Laverne and Shirley" one night after the "Happy Days" cast had gone home. The series ran until 1983.
After "Happy Days", Penny turned to film directing. Her first came in 1986 with "Jumpin' Jack Flash" (a flop), but she quickly revived herself with the highly-successful "Big" (1988), "Awakenings" (1990), "A League of Their Own" (1992), and "Renaissance Man" (1994). In the late 90's, she and Rosie O'Donnell teamed up to do K-Mart commercials. She was the recipient of the Women in Film Crystal Award (1991), The American Comedy Awards Creative Achievement Award (1992), and received three Golden Globe nominations for "Laverne and Shirley" in 1978, 1979, and 1980. Penny continues to act and direct today.
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